


Peppermint Scented Love

by Princ3sss



Series: Coffeeshop Soundtrack [2]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Time, M/M, Slight anxiety attack, coffeeshop romance, steve works in a daycare
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:20:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21845065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Princ3sss/pseuds/Princ3sss
Summary: Steve admits he’s falling for the slightly rude barista and that he doesn’t really know anything about him.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Series: Coffeeshop Soundtrack [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1568464
Comments: 4
Kudos: 87





	Peppermint Scented Love

He probably watched the blond too much. Probably had since the start of the season. But now it was like he was trapped. Like he couldn’t look away even if he wanted too. It was different now. Now he had a name, a voice for the blond. Now he knew what those lips felt like on his. And now that he knew that he didn’t know how to function without looking at the blond. 

It was easier at First Steps Daycare. There wasn’t a coffee shop, or another man around. There certainly wasn’t a slightly rude but kind of charming blond around to distract him. There was just little kids around him at First Steps. Little kids with sticky fingers and runny noses. Little kids who for some reason thought he was the coolest person ever. They all wanted him to play with them. All wanted to sit next to him during story time. He didn’t exactly understand it but he didn’t mind. These kids were begging for attention the way he use to when he was younger. The difference was he made sure they got the attention. 

Although it was easier to work at First Steps, he liked working at his mothers boutique Hello Fashion. In a way he preferred it. Not just because it let him meet Billy either. Working in the boutique gave him the opportunity to check on his mom. On her sobriety. It let him make sure she was okay. Gave him the chance to help if she wasn’t okay. 

He knew it was hard on her. Knew some days she felt like giving up, like giving in. He couldn’t blame her. He didn’t think he could remember a time when she didn’t have a drink in her hand. A coping mechanism she had adopted at some point. Most likely it was a way for her to deal with his father. But now she was trying to do better. Stubbornly trying to prove that it was her husband that brought her down and she was better without him. And Steve, he loved her for that. Loved and admired how strong she was. He knew that she was right, that she could do it. She just needed someone to be there for her occasionally. Needed him to be there. 

The air was filled with screams and shouts of laughter. The stomps of tiny little kid feet. He stood in the middle of the kids, trying to control the army. Tried to make sure in the children’s enthusiasm they took the right coat. He had to slow down at least two of the kids so they didn’t fall in the rush. In the middle of all of the rush there was a tug on his shirtsleeve. He looked down at his side and saw Cindy. Cindy was a cute little six year old Asian girl who loved to be near Steve. She thought his hair was fluffy and cute, and she liked to put glitter in it. 

“Steve, I made this for you.” Her voice was soft as she held up a piece of paper. 

Steve lowered himself so he could be closer to her level. Smiled as he took the paper. It was a drawing, probably something she did during arts that day. The center of the drawing was a snowman with a pink top hat. Next to the snowman was two people. One of them was very tall and skinny. A mess of brown crayon on top of its head. The second person was smaller. They had two little pigtails for hair, a red coat with matching little boots. 

“Is this you Cindy? Building a snowman?”

“You too!” She pointed at the skinny figure. “See that’s your hair.”

“Oh, is that what it looks like? I didn’t recognize it without all the glitter you give me.” She giggled as he poked her cheek. “Thank you for this Cindy. It’s beautiful.”

“You keep it?”

“Of course I will.” He gave her a quick hug and walked her over to her coat. “You gotta go now, your mom’s probably here by now.”

He walked the little girl over to the exit and sat with her until her mom’s car pulled up to the door. He waved goodbye to Cindy as she climbed into the car. He stayed outside with the other kids as they waited for their parents. It was the end of the day. All he had to do was make sure every kid was picked up. After that he was free for the day. Free to go see if Billy was working if he pleased. 

Watching Billy work was fascinating. Billy was like a tornado. A whirlwind of somehow controlled movements. He moved around the small space in confidence. He was quick moving and aggressive. With his rough attitude and muscles he shouldn’t be able to make anything delicate. But yet he did. All of his quick movements led to drinks being made in a quick fashion. He noticed that Billy never looked happy. At least not until he looked up and saw him. When Billy saw him a smile grew on the blond’s face.

“Hey pretty boy you want your peppermint whipped cream?” Billy smirked. 

“It’s a coffee.”

“Not the way you like it.” Billy’s laughter was nice. “I’m just giving you a cup of whip and candy canes today.”

“Fuck you Billy.”

Billy smiled wide as he made Steve’s drink. His blue eyes sparkled with laughter. As he passed the cup over his tongue poked out a little. 

“Will you stay? I get off in twenty minutes.” His eyes shown and hands shook a little. “We could go out maybe...”

He was different outside of the coffee shop. He was still a whirlwind. Still a tornado. But more aggressive. It was like all of his pent up anger from the day was being released at one time. Billy walked quickly towards his car. Pulled Steve along behind him. Steve vaguely thought of his own car parked on the other side of the mall. But then he was inside of Billy’s. Surrounded by the stale scent of cigarette smoke and loud music. Billy said something offhand about the band. Said it was Underoath. Steve had never heard of the band but wasn’t surprised. It was loud, full of screams. A style he wouldn’t normally listen too. But Billy seemed to. He drummed on the wheel as he drove. Attempted to sing along with the music. 

“What if I don’t like this band?”

“Should’ve gotten into your own car then.”

“You didn’t give me a chance!”

Billy laughed and sped down the road. He weaved in and out of the cars. Dangerously close to causing an accident. Steve felt like he was going to die in the car. Thought it would be the last car ride of his life. Billy took a sharp turn and pulled into the parking lot of a tiny Italian restaurant. 

“Hungry?”

“I’m covered in finger paint and glitter.”

“Are you?” Billy looked him over. “I thought you looked normal. Anyways are you hungry?”

“Billy!”

“I’m covered in fucking coffee grounds and sweat. So neither of us looks the best right now. But... but I still want to spend tonight with you.” His voice got soft at the end. Steve could barely make out what he said. 

Billy looked pretty under the soft lights. It softened his features, made him look slightly younger. Steve was sure the glitter in his hair was reflecting in the light. Was sure that he probably looked stupid. But Billy wasn’t looking at him in a bad way. Steve couldn’t quite understand the look Billy was giving him. 

“Why glitter?” Billy asked as soon as the waiter left.

“There’s this girl at the daycare. Her names Cindy. She likes to make me look pretty. So she puts glitter in my hair and throws the dress up clothes on me. Does it look bad?”

“No.” Billy slowly looked him over again. “She’s good at making you pretty. Maybe you should hire her as a stylist.”

Steve kicked at the blond as he laughed. Billy stuck his tongue out as he smirked. The atmosphere between them was more light hearted than the first date. Billy was making jokes. Being flirty. There was still a rough edge to him. Still something dangerous to him, like there was in the car. There was something about Billy that was beyond control. Like a fuse waiting to be lit. He caught glimpses of it while Billy worked. Saw it flash in Billy’s eyes while they talked. 

Whatever the thing was Steve didn’t question it. He knew that he himself probably showed shadows from his past in some form. Even if he didn’t know what they were. He wasn’t going to question Billy about it. Unless Billy gave him a reason too. 

“Your mom stopped by today.” Billy kicked at the piles of slush on the ground as they walked back to his car. “She’s... intense.”

“What did she say?” Steve feared the worst. She probably said something really embarrassing about him. His mom knew he had a crush on Billy. Knew that they went out together last Friday. 

“Nothing really. Just wanted to find out for herself if I was good at making coffee.” Billy smirked as he opened the car door for Steve. “Apparently someone has been telling her a lot about me. I guess she had to see for herself if I was worth all the special attention I’ve been getting.”

Steve felt his face grow hot. He knew his whole face was probably red as he sat down in Billy’s car. Leave it to his mother to always find a way to embarrass him. Although it probably was all his fault. He did make it painfully obvious who he was staring at while he worked. He should at least be grateful that she never walked over while he was in the shop. Or worse, while he was talking to Billy himself. Billy had a small smile on his face as he got into the car. He switched the cd out and put a new one in. Steve caught a flash of the name of the disc. It said Nightwish, another band he had never heard of. From the first bars of it, it sounded a little similar to the previous band. The only difference he could hear was when the singing started. 

“Don’t worry Stevie, she never said it was you. But even if it was you I think it’s kinda cute.”

“You’re making fun of me.” Steve pouted and sunk down deeper in the seat as Billy laughed. 

“Not completely. I really do think you’re cute.”

“Shut up!”

Billy drove fast again. This time however, Steve wasn’t as scared. There were less cars on the road. Less traffic to possibly crash into. There was still the potential of them crashing. But if they did it hopefully wouldn’t be as bad. The sharp turns, the fist drumming on the wheel, the wicked tongue poking between his teeth. They all seemed less dangerous in the dark. He thought the shadows would make Billy darker. But instead they brought him to life. 

Steve watched as Billy came to life under the street lights. Watched as they danced over his face. The car skidded over a patch of ice and slid a little to the right. Steve let out a yelp and held onto the car door. Billy slowed the car and gripped the wheel tighter. Steve heard as he took in a deep breath. 

“Sorry,” Billy’s voice was shaky. “I guess, I... I’m not really use to driving in the winter.”

Once again they were next to Steve’s car. Snow was falling down around them. Turned the pavement from black to a sparkling white. Steve shivered a little in the cold night. He tried to look into Billy’s eyes. Tried to look at the bright blue. But Billy kept his head down. Refused to look into Steve’s eyes. Had been since his car slid while he drove them back to the mall. 

“Will you look at me?” Steve tugged on Billy’s jacket. Forced himself into Billy’s space. 

“I’m sorry.” It came out like a whisper. Fell on his ears as gently as the snow. 

“Billy it’s okay. There’s ice and snow. It happens even to people who drive in this type of weather their whole lives. You controlled the car, kept us safe.”

“I... I didn’t mean.” This was a different side of Billy. One he didn’t know how to feel about. “I didn’t want anything bad to happen...”

“I know. Nothing happened, you did nothing.” Billy pulled out of Steve’s grip. Leaned against his car. “Billy... one time I... I slid on a patch of ice. Right into a snow bank. Buried my dads car in the snow. I... I told you it happens a lot.” He was cold, couldn’t control his shivering anymore. 

Billy sighed and kicked at the ground. He let Steve get closer to him. Let Steve place his hands on him again. Let Steve’s arms wrap around his neck. Leaned into Steve’s embrace a little. 

“I’m sorry.” Was whispered into the air again. “I’m sorry.”

**Author's Note:**

> So I feel like Billy would totally be into metal, all forms of the metal genre.
> 
> The songs I played while writing this were  
> Weak Fantasy - Nightwish  
> There Could Be Nothing After This - Underoath


End file.
